Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Ron Russell edits the quarterly news letter of the Canberra/ Shropshire Association, The Shropshire Times, he wants to use extracts from my chapter in At War In The Pacific, for a future edition.

Ron,

Bruce Petty who went to Vietnam has had two other oral history books published, one on Saipan, and the other Voices of the Pacific War is enlistled men's stories. We met in Melbourne a few years ago on his way from the Middle east to locate in the south island of NZ, his wife is a Doctor, he stays at home, minds the children and organises books for publication.

He invited US Navy and Marine Corps officers to write their individual stories for this book. In all 21 of them, the majority US Naval officers, I was the only non American to be invited to contribute a chapter. With the bibliogrpahy and index it runs to 197 pages, and most doing a chapter have their photo and may be another two relevant photos in their piece.

It was published in 2006, by McFarland and Co Inc, of Jefferson North Carolina, and London, my copy I got directly from them.

That is not Bruce Petty on the front cover, but Captain Bernard W. Peterson, US Marine Corps Reserve, he started the war as an enlisted sailor, in January of 1943, resigned his rate to go to flying school, and graduate as a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps Reserve, and serve as a fighter pilot. Of course you may quote from my chapter, all of which is up on AHOY.

Hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction.

Best regards, 
Mac.

Yes, thank you Mac. I have printed it off. A very graphic version of the loss of Canberra. I assume that is the whole of your chapter? Can you give me a brief run -down on the Book please. How many other authors involved? Is it mostly about war in the air. I see that Petty had a lot of "Kills" on his aircraft. Does he go into a lot of detail about his war.?

How many pages in the book. Is it well illustrated? Publisher's name and where it can be obtained? Any other relevant info. It is too late for the next issue (1 March) so it will go into June. Can I use quotes from your chapter? Cheers Ron.

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